Press digest

The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:

The Times says it is being claimed that threats were made to students’ lives unless they took part in pro-Gaddafi demonstrations.

The Malta Independent reports how rival Libyan groups protested outside the Libyan embassy yesterday.

In-Nazzjon says David Cameron has again thanked Lawrence Gonzi for Malta’s help in the Libyan crisis.

l-orizzont says 12,000 jobs are in danger of the permanent residency scheme remains suspended, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

The overseas press

Al Jazeera reports explosions have rocked Tripoli for a third night as forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi attempted to stop any new attack from an international military coalition enforcing a no-fly zone over the country. Gunfire and anti-aircraft fire also lit up the sky late on Monday in and around the capital. Two naval bases just outside the city were reportedly been hit in the strikes. A government spokesman said the coalition bombardment had killed civilians in port areas and at Sirte airport. He said the coalition forces had also bombarded the southern town of Sebha, a bastion of Gaddafi's Guededfa tribe, a naval base and a fishing village near Tripoli and struck radar installations at two air defence bases belonging to Gaddafi's forces in Benghazi.

Libyan State television LJB TV says several sites in Tripoli have come under attack by what it deemed the “crusader enemy”. It said Libyans keep backing their leader, with crowds flocking to al-Aziziah square to show their support. It also says many world capitals are witnessing demonstrations in support for Libya while the "crusader enemy" continues bombing civilian targets.

Al Arabiya television reports that the western Libyan city of Misurata, Libya's third city 214km east of Tripoli, was now controlled by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. Libyan government spokesman Ibrahim said Gaddafi's forces were hunting "terrorist elements". But a spokesman for opposition fighters in the city told AFP that the opposition remained in control despite an onslaught by Gaddafi loyalists, who he said, opened fire with tanks and set snipers on roofs to gun down people in the streets. A medic in Misurata claimed 40 civilians had been killed and at least 300 people had been injured. Gaddafi forces also reportedly bombarded the western town of Zintan and there was also fierce fighting further east in Ajdabiya, where opposition fighters were seen retreating in the face of an attack by government forces.

The New York Times reports that the UN Security Council has rejected a Libyan request for an emergency meeting to halt what it called "military aggression" by coalition forces three days after they began launching strikes aimed at disabling Libyan air defences. The council decided instead to hold a briefing already planned for Thursday by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on how the resolution that set up the zone to protect civilians in Libya is being implemented.

The Washington Times quotes President Barack Obama saying the US expected to transfer the lead military role in Libya to other allies in a matter of days. He said Nato would be involved in helping to co-ordinate the next phase of action in Libya.

Belgium’s Le Soir says sharp divisions prevented Nato from adopting a plan for military airstrikes against Libya with Turkish opposition blocking the alliance from approving a strategy. Unity was further called into question at the European Union, as Germany questioned the wisdom of the operation altogether. The UN-backed airstrikes mounted so far against Muammar Gaddafi's force by Britain, France and the United States outside of their Nato roles also drew scathing criticism from Russia, a nation with which the alliance would like close strategic cooperation.

Yemen Post says President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said he would not step down despite growing defections from government officials. A number of senior army officers have announced support for pro-democracy demonstrators.

The Jerusalem Post confirms Israel has carried out a number of air attacks in Gaza. At least seven strikes were reported to have hit targets in Gaza city and in the north of the Gaza Strip. The attacks follow a mortar barrage fired from the Gaza Strip on Saturday by the Hamas militant group.

Radio Japan says workers at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan have resumed their efforts to restore electrical power and cool its overheated reactors, seriously damaged by the 11 March earthquake. The works was interrupted after emissions of white vapour and smoke from two of the reactors.

El Periodico reports that Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom and his wife Sandra Torres have filed for divorce so she can stand for election to succeed him. Ms Torres announced she would be the governing party candidate in September's presidential election earlier this month. The constitution bans close relatives of the president from standing to succeed him.